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Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Live radio and a rave review

I was
thrilled to be interviewed by Cyrus
Webb yesterday on his live blog talk show, Conversations LIVE! Radio. We
discussed mental illness, suicide, and finding meaning in life after
unthinkable tragedy. What I took away from that conversation is the importance
of having these conversations – openly and truthfully – without pretense. That
these are hard subjects is a given. But we must bring them into the light so
that others will benefit. If we say the mental illness and suicide words often
enough we will have a chance of erasing stigma. Only then will people begin to
acknowledge their illnesses and seek help. Only in that way can we save lives.

I was
also most impressed that Cyrus acknowledged his failed suicide attempt almost
at the start of our interview. This shows the extent of the honesty in our discussion.

Here’s
the interview.
Please listen. As my publisher at Dream of
Things, Mike O’Mary said: “Could be the most important 20 minutes you spend
today.”

And I’m
very thankful that Cyrus not only took the time to read my book, Leaving the
Hall Light On, he generously posted a five-star review this morning. Here’s the
review in its entirety.

Madeline Sharples' LEAVING THE
HALL LIGHT ON Shines A Light on What It Means to Live When Life Isn't Easy, July 3, 2013

Throughout the challenges that we
all face in life are the decisions we sometimes make that can literally change
the course of the world for us forever. Sometimes we don't understand or even
appreciate how one act can set off a chain reaction that affects everyone
around us. In LEAVING THE HALL LIGHT ON Madeline Sharples allows us into her
world, how she faced challenges and learned how to press on in spite of it all.

The book was born out of the death of her son
Paul, but is a perfect letter of love for the world to see how not only to live
in spite of challenges but how not to be defined by them. We are able to see
how her son's diagnosis with bipolar disorder affected his attitude about what
he could contribute to the world and even gave the illusion that maybe the
world was better off without him. What we see through the book is proof of the
exact opposite. Madeline shows that by losing her son it was almost as if her
own life had no meaning or purpose. Ironically, though, she found where her
true calling and purpose would lie: being a source of hope for others. Through
this new role she could not only go on in her own life, but show others how
they could do the same.

No one wants to go through challenges or
difficulties. We don't welcome them, but I was able to see through this book
how they help us sometimes become the person we were meant to be---if only we
allow them to be true teachable moments. We can grieve, we can hurt, but we
have to push forward towards the healing. If we can do that then we can become
a source of strength and inspiration for others.

Delivered with passion and fueled by love
LEAVING THE HALL LIGHT ON speaks to what it means to live when living isn't
always easy.

National Association of Memoir Writers

About Me

Madeline SharplesI’ve worked most of my professional life as a technical writer, grant writer, and proposal process manager and began writing poetry, essays, and creative non-fiction when my oldest son, Paul, was diagnosed as manic depressive. I continued writing as a way to heal since his death by suicide in 1999. My memoir, "Leaving the Hall Light On," first released on Mother's Day 2011 in hard cover, is about living with my son's bipolar disorder and surviving his suicide. My publisher, Dream of Things, is launching a paperback edition in July 2012 and an eBook in August 2012. I also co-edited Volumes 1 and 2 of "The Great American Poetry Show," a poetry anthology, and wrote the poems for two books of photography, "The Emerging Goddess" and "Intimacy." Besides having many poems published in print and online magazines, I write regularly for several websites: Naturally Savvy, PsychAlive, Open to Hope,and Journeys Through Grief and occasionally for The Huffington Post. I maintain two blogs: Choices and at Red Room.